The Story And Songs Of The Wizard Of Oz
In 1969, Disneyland Records released an album of The Story And Songs Of The Wizard Of Oz. The album included an illustrated booklet and featured songs from the 1939 MGM musical starting Judy Garland as Dorothy. About It The Story And Songs Of The Wizard Of Oz is a 45-minute 12-inch full-length long-playing radio theater-style storyteller vinyl record adaptation especially prepared for very young children that is a unique combination of a composite of the original novel and the MGM musical film. The story was adapted by Jimmy Johnson and is based on the book by L. Frank Baum. The record's case opens up into a giant-sized 11-page read-along picture storybook that contains magnificent full-color drawings illustrated by the Walt Disney studio's staff artists, where many characters have original designs, but some of the more classic characters are based on their classic designs. The vinyl record adaptation is rather basic, but at times the text closely follows Baum's text, and the film's songs were licensed for the album. It opens with the studio chorus singing "Somewhere, Over The Rainbow", then the story is narrated by Robie Lester as an adult Dorothy Gale, who introduces and tells the familiar classic adventure of how she and her dog Toto were taken from Kansas to the land of Oz by a tornado. When Dorothy lands in Oz, the munchkins sing "Ding Dong! The Witch Is Dead!" with the additional opening lyrics: "'till one fine day from Kansas way." The good witch of the north sends her off in the silver shoes to the emerald city, then Dorothy meets the scarecrow, as the scarecrow and the chorus sing "If I Only Had A Brain". Next, Dorothy and the scarecrow meet the tin woodman and cowardly lion while "Follow The Yellow Brick Road/We're Off To See The Wizard" plays during the journey. The kalidahs and the river are not included, the group encounter the poppy field, but the lion falling asleep in the poppy field is removed. The four friends visit the wizard in the reverse order from the book with the lion being first and Dorothy being last, then he sends them to destroy the wicked witch of the west. The wicked witch's attacks are shortened to just the wolves, crows, and winged monkeys who take Dorothy to the witch, but there is no mention of the golden cap. "Ding Dong! The Witch Is Dead!" is reprised when the wicked witch of the west melts, and after melting the witch, Dorothy rejoins her friends and returns to the emerald city and discovers that the wizard is a humbug. The wizard departs in his balloon, and Dorothy goes to Glinda to discover how to return home, and no details are told about the trip to Glinda, just that it was a long journey. At the end of the story, the song "The Merry Old Land Of Oz" plays. The audio cassette tape adaptation is completely different since it is a very basic, simple, and much more abbreviated version of the story read by Hal Smith and features the character voices imitating the MGM film actors. The pictures in the read-along book were drawn in the same art style as the large record's book. Dorothy and Toto are carried to Oz by the tornado. After meeting the good witch of the north, Dorothy takes the silver shoes and meets the scarecrow, tin woodman, and cowardly lion. No incidents happen in between the lion joining the party and arriving at the emerald city, where the wizard is depicted as a man and only sees Dorothy. The wizard sends them to defeat the wicked witch of the west, then the wicked witch who summons the winged monkeys right away, and Dorothy very quickly deals with her. Dorothy melts the witch and returns to the emerald city with her friends, then the wizard tells Dorothy how use the silver shoes to get home after she defeats the wicked witch, so his departure in the balloon and the trip to see Glinda are not included. At the end of the story, the songs "Somewhere, Over The Rainbow" and "Follow The Yellow Brick Road/We're Off To See The Wizard" are played. Track Listing #Somewhere, Over The Rainbow #Ding, Ding, The Witch is Dead #Follow the Yellow Brick Road #If Only I Had A Brain #Ding, Dong, The Witch is Dead (Reprise) #The Merry Old Land of Oz Voice Cast Robie Lester as Dorothy Gale Dallas McKennon as the scarecrow Sam Edwards as the tin woodman, the cowardly lion, and the wizard of Oz Ginny Tyler as the good witch of the north, the wicked witch of the west, and Glinda the good witch of the south Video The Wizard of Oz Gallery The_Story_and_Songs_of_The_Wizard_of_Oz_-_1.png The_Story_and_Songs_of_The_Wizard_of_Oz_-_2.png The_Story_and_Songs_of_The_Wizard_of_Oz_-_3.png The_Story_and_Songs_of_The_Wizard_of_Oz_-_4.png The_Story_and_Songs_of_The_Wizard_of_Oz_-_5.png The_Story_and_Songs_of_The_Wizard_of_Oz_-_6.png The_Story_and_Songs_of_The_Wizard_of_Oz_-_7.png The_Story_and_Songs_of_The_Wizard_of_Oz_-_8.png The_Story_and_Songs_of_The_Wizard_of_Oz_-_9.png The_Story_and_Songs_of_The_Wizard_of_Oz_-_Back_Cover.png Other Releases Image:Disneyland3957WizardIsraeli.jpg|Story in Hebrew Made in Israel by Hataklit Ltd. Disneyland 3957 Story And Songs Of The Wizard Of Oz Category:Disneyland Records Albums